The Korg Pitchblack is a chromatic pedal tuner for guitar and bass, built to sit on a pedalboard and mute your signal while you tune1. Korg introduced it in 2008, and the maker says it earned a reputation as a trusted part of players' boards thanks to its high sensitivity, great visibility, and sturdy construction2. It became the model the rest of the Pitchblack line grew from, including the Pitchblack Custom, Pitchblack mini, and Pitchblack Advance3.
What it does
Step on the footswitch and the Pitchblack mutes your guitar signal so you can tune silently between songs, then step again to return to playing41. The display shows the note you are closest to in bright red letters, and the reviewer at Pedal Review found it very large and easy to read even in bright daylight4. The meter movement is smooth, which makes for quick and easy tuning, and it stays readable on dark stages1.
Because it is true bypass, your tone is unaffected when the tuner is engaged, and a reviewer noted there is no noise in the signal chain when it is not in use14.
Controls and display modes
The Pitchblack offers four distinct display modes, including a default meter mode and strobe modes, selected by a display button on the rear panel145. One reviewer described the operation as simply tapping the button on top to start tuning, with no real setup required4.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Footswitch | Mutes the signal while tuning; step again to return to playing4 |
| Display button (rear panel) | Cycles through the four display modes15 |
Build and power
The Pitchblack is housed in a rugged aluminum diecast body1. A reviewer who opened one up noted the only plastic part is the back, including the battery door, and that it has rubber feet to prevent slipping4. Power comes from a 9V DC input, and there is a 9V DC output jack you can use to power other pedals on your board; it can also run on a 9V battery15.
The 9V output jack means the Pitchblack can double as a simple power pass-through for one more pedal on a small board15.
What reviewers said
The Pedal Review video reviewer called it a very easy tuner to use, with no real setup required, and said it is the tuner he uses himself4. On price, the same reviewer noted it sold for about $70 at the time of the 2013 review4.
Writing at Gearnews in 2016, Jef summed up the Pitchblack's build and visibility after years of use:
A demo video from Reverb walks through the same features: the four display modes cycled by the display button, and the additional 9V output for powering other pedals5.
Where it fits in the Pitchblack line
The original Pitchblack is the pedal the later models build on. The Pitchblack Custom adds four meter display modes and three times longer battery life, and Korg describes the Pitchblack Pro rack tuner as its flagship2. The Pitchblack mini is a compact version with adjustable calibration and three meter display modes6, and the Pitchblack Advance followed in 20163. Korg also expanded the series with the Pitchblack Poly, its first polyphonic pedal tuner, which lets you tune all strings at once7. For more options across makers, see the tuner pedals page.
Videos
Pedal Review
The Stuff I Use Channel
Sources (7)
- Korg Pitchblack Pedal Tuner Overview -- with Display Modes!, KORG (YouTube channel), 2011-11-18
- Pitchblack Custom, Korg
- Pitchblack Advance, KORG (USA)
- Korg Pitchblack Chromatic Pedal Tuner Review, Pedal Review, 2013-03-29
- Korg Pitchblack Pedal Tuner, Reverb, 2016-08-25
- Pitchblack mini, Korg
- Korg Announces the New Pitchblack Poly Pedal Tuner, Premier Guitar, 2012-01-26
